In The Band
by MrRedSnake
Summary: Sixteen-year-old bad boy Murdoc Niccals and his buddies, Russel Hobbs, 2D, and Paula Cracker all come together and start a band, but trouble arises when Murdoc finds a new guitarist, one that's even better than Paula, one that's not a complete pain in his ass, one who's not too hard on the eyes either, a guitarist by the name of Noodle. Teenager AU
1. In the Band

It was around 12:30 on a Saturday afternoon and a sixteen-year-old young man by the name of Murdoc Niccals laid asleep on the couch he was currently living on. "Murdoc, wake up!" he heard the excruciatingly high pitched voice of his best friend shout, "It's time for band practice!"

The young man groaned, "Ugh, what the hell are you talkin' about 2D? We ain't supposed to meet up for another half hour." he stated before rolling over on his stomach and burying his head in the cushions of the rather dirty couch.

"We met up a 'alf hour AGO! YA OVA'SLEPT!" the other teenager shouted, grabbing Murdoc's alarm clock off the stack of dirty magazines that acted as his nightstand and displaying it for him to see.

Murdoc rolled back over and examined the clock, noting that it was in fact 1:30 PM, not 12, "Huh, so I did. Alright then, hand me that shirt over there." he requested as he sat up and stretched.

2D looked around for the shirt in question, "This one 'angin' off the ceiling fan?"

Murdoc nodded, "Yeah, that's it, the one with the Sex Pistols logo." he confirmed

The singer grabbed the T-shirt, flinching at the smell, "Jesus! When was the last time you washed this fing?"

Murdoc took the garment and pondered the question for a minute, "A couple days maybe? Hmm… Yep, it's been thirty-seven days!" he concluded before grabbing a can of air freshener off the floor, spraying the shirt and putting it on, "There, that should do for another month."

2D chose not to dwell of his friend's borderline horrific lifestyle in favor of getting back to band practice, "Alright, come on, grab your bass and let's go! I told Russ and Paula we'd be back in five minutes!"

"Settle down face-ache, you really think they'll care if we're a little late?" the bassist asked as he searched for his instrument.

"YES!"

Murdoc rolled his eyes "Alright, let me rephrase that. I don't care." he specified before finally finding his bass case, he picked it up and grinned at his friend, "Now, ready to go?"

 **Oh wowee, a scene transition**

On the other side of the neighborhood, two other teenagers by the names of Russel Hobbs and Paula Cracker, the band's drummer and guitarist respectively, waited impatiently in Russel's garage for their singer and bassist to return. Paula was passing the time by bouncing a ball off the wall and catching it, much to Russel's annoyance, "Would you mind not doing that?" the large teenager requested politely in his deep and intimidating voice.

The girl shrugged and turned to face the drummer, "You gonna stop me?" she asked with a smirk.

Russel took a deep breath and held back his irritation, 'Remember what mama said, never hit a woman… no matter how much she deserves it.' he mentally repeated to himself as a sort of mantra. It worked rather well for a few minutes until Paula bounced the ball just a little too hard and didn't catch it, in turn sending it careening into the large man's forehead. Now beyond pissed, Russel proceeded to stand up from the stool he was sitting on and picked up the ball from the ground, taking it to the opened garage door and throwing it outside as hard as he could.

There was a loud **THWACK** followed by a high-pitched"OW! WHAT THE 'ELL MURDOC?!"

"Wasn't me this time!" the bassist defended as the two approached the garage

"Shit, sorry D, didn't see ya there." Russel said remorsefully

Murdoc chuckled "Bloody good shot though, nailed 'im right in the eye."

"'ey, where'd all these stars come from?" 2D asked, holding his head and struggling to stand.

Paula scoffed, "Took you two long enough, what's the matter Murdoc, too hungover to practice?"

Murdoc chuckled at the girl's pathetic attempt to insult him, "Don't you worry 'bout me Paula, my hangover'll be gone in an hour or two, but you'll still be a massive bitch no matter how much time goes by."

The guitarist scowled at him before turning to 2D, "Are you just gonna let him talk to me like that, Stuart?!"

The singer was currently being aided into a chair by an apologetic Russel, still dazed from his latest head injury, "Whadja say, love? I've got this loud ringin' in m' ears at the moment."

Disgruntled, Paula crossed her arms and decided to change the subject, "So are we gonna practice or not?"

"Don't you think your boyfriend could use a minute to rest?" Russel asked, gesturing to a still groggy 2D

"He's fine." she argued

"Why do I 'ear blood?" 2D asked as a stream of red poured from his left ear

"He don't look fine!" The drummer insisted

Paula sighed, "Stu, put your finger in your ear."

"Wha'? Like this?" the singer asked, doing as instructed and blocking off the blood flow.

"Perfect. Now can we get started?"

Russel sighed, "You sure you don't wanna see a doctor or somethin', D?"

He shook his head in response, nearly passing out from the sudden action, "I'm fine Russ, really, Paula wouldn't say I was if I wasn't." he explained with an innocent smile.

The guitarist nodded "Exactly. Now let's go already! What are we playin' pickle boy?"

Murdoc cringed at Paula's little nickname for him, so his skin was a little green, it doesn't mean he looks like a pickle, AND NO HE WAS NOT SELF CONSCIOUS ABOUT IT IN THE SLIGHTEST! "Alright, let's start with somethin' easy, Clint Eastwood."

The group got into position and played through the song, 2D powering through to the very last line despite his condition. The song ended and the room was silent for a moment... until Paula decided to speak up, "That was complete shit."

"WHAT?! WHAT THE HELL WAS WRONG WITH IT?!" Murdoc demanded

"Where do I start? There are only 23 words, none of them make any sense, and Stu sounded half dead through the whole song!"

"I fink m' left eye's swellin' up a bit."

"You're fine Stuart."

"Okay."

"I mean, what the hell does 'sunshine in a bag' even mean anyway?" she asked

"IT'S A LINE FROM THE GODDAMNED GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY! WHY THE 'ELL DID YA THINK THE BLOODY SONG'S NAMED CLINT EASTWOOD ANYWAY?!"

"WELL IT'S A STUPID NAME!"

The room was quiet for a moment, Murdoc and Paula staring each other down with rage, 2D on the verge of passing out, and Russel worrying for the singer's health and well being. Suddenly, the silence was broken, not by the voice of one of the band members, but someone else, someone who went unnoticed up to this point despite being around since the group started playing, "I liked it."

The band all turned their attention to the front of the garage where the owner of the voice stood. Murdoc was surprised he hadn't noticed her sooner, he's always one to appreciate attractive women, and the Japanese girl standing in front of him with a bottle of Coke in her hand definitely fit that criteria. Oh yeah, she was cute alright, and she liked his music too, the bassist grinned at the positive response, "Well, good to see someone around here's got some semblance of taste."

"You seriously liked that song?" Paula asked

The girl nodded in response, "I did, it's dark and mysterious, catchy too. Although, I do feel like it's missing something..."

"Uh, guys?" 2D interrupted, "I fink I wanna see that doctor now." he said before collapsing to the floor.

Paula sighed, "Alright fine, let's take him to the hospital."

"I'll drive." Russel offered, making his way to the fallen singer, picking him up with ease. "You comin' Muds?"

Murdoc waved the rest of the group off, "Nah, hospitals freak me out." he explained before continuing the conversation with the Japanese girl, "So you really think it's missing something?"

"MURDOC!" Russel shouted

"DON'T YOU 'AVE SOMEPLACE TO GET TO?! I'M TRYIN' TO 'AVE A DAMNED CONVERSATION 'ERE!"

"Just thought I'd warn you, I'd be real upset if anything happened to my little sister." the large intimidating drummer said

" _Well that's real nice to hear,_ _I'm glad to know you're a regular family guy, and_ _I'll be sure to let her know should I ever meet her_." the bassist sarcastically said before addressing the girl yet again, "You were saying, Miss…"

"Hobbs, Noodle Hobbs. Russel's little sister." she introduced with a giggle

Murdoc's eyes went wide as he looked at the small-framed Japanese girl in front of him, and then at the large black man in the driveway strapping 2D into the backseat of his car, then back at Noodle, then back at Russel, "Alright… this may be a stupid question but-"

"She's adopted, fool." Russel clarified as he got into his vehicle, visibly weighing it down as he did, "Remember what I said Murdoc, or else." he warned one last time before driving off to the hospital.

"So, you're in Russel's new band?" Noodle asked, prompting Murdoc to turn back to face her

"Not quite," the bassist said, to Noodle's confusion, "He's in my band." he clarified with a proud grin

The girl nodded in understanding "Your band makes some very nice music, although you argue and fight like a group of wild gorillas." she said with a laugh

"Well we wouldn't argue so much if Paula wasn't such a…" Murdoc paused for a moment in realization "Gorillas? Hmm… Gorillas… Now that's got a bit of a ring to it." he grabbed a can of red spray paint from a nearby shelf and rushed over to Russel's drum kit, going to work on it with the paint, "Is 'at spelled with one R or two? Ah, screw it." the bassist stepped back from the drums and admired his handiwork, "Whaddaya think?" he asked, gesturing to the newly marked up bass drum that now read 'GORILLAZ' in big red letters.

Noodle laughed, "I like it, especially how you spelled it with a Z instead of an S."

"What? That ain't right?" Murdoc asked, Noodle shook her head in response, "SHIT! Maybe no one'll notice.

The girl laughed yet again, "You shouldn't worry about it, it makes the name more… unique."

Murdoc nodded "Yew-neek eh? Not sure what that means, but I like the sound of it." he said with a grin, "Now, back to our earlier conversation…"

"Ah yes, the song! Well, I think what you have so far is a good start, but it feels incomplete, like it could use something to really pull it all together."

"What'd ya have in mind?"

"Well, I think it would work really well as a hip-hop song. Just add a rap verse or two and it would be perfect!" the girl suggested

"A hip-hop song eh?" Murdoc thought about it for a moment before nodding, "Yeah, I see where you're comin' from. That's bloody fuckin' genius!"

Noodle laughed, "Thank you. And I'd love to hear more of your songs if you have the time."

"Well, I'd love to play 'em for ya, but unfortunately I'm without a band at the moment, so unless you know someone who can play guitar and learn all the songs I've written so far then the best I can do is a few bass solos.". The girl smiled widely and ran into the house, walking out seconds later with an electric guitar strapped around her neck, Murdoc gave her an intrigued look, "Is this your way of tellin' me ya play the guitar?"

She nodded affirmatively in response "Yep, I've been playing for as long as I can remember… Probably even a while before that!"

Murdoc nodded "Alright, let's see what you've got then." he said with a grin

Without even the slightest bit of hesitation, Noodle jacked the guitar into the nearby amp and within a moment, broke out into the most amazing solo Murdoc had ever heard… actually, that's not entirely fair, he'd probably heard better in the past, but at this particular moment, he was having an extraordinarily difficult time remembering that any other music had even existed, like it had all been erased from his mind by the beautiful Japanese guitar goddess standing before him. He pondered for a moment if this was the music of angels, but no, angel's ain't got shit on this girl.

A few sublime minutes went by before the girl's playing ceased, "So, what did you think?" she asked with a smile

Once Murdoc fully returned to his senses he promptly dropped to the ground on one knee, "Noodle Hobbs, would you do me the honor of playing guitar in my band?"

 **Oh wowee, a scene transition**

2D sat in the passenger seat of Russel's car with an ice-pack pressed against his left eye, "How ya feelin' D?" the burly drummer asked

"M' eye still 'urts like 'ell, an' I've got a splittin' 'eadache." he explained. Turning the rearview mirror so he could look at himself, he lowered the ice pack and cringed at his reflection. Apparently, the impact of the ball was so hard that it knocked his eye back into its socket, leaving a dark void in the left side of his face, "Well, 'least I can still see outta it." he reasoned

"Man, I am so sorry about that." Russel lamented

The singer smiled at his friend, "Ya got nothin' t' be sorry 'bout Russ, I know ya di'nt mean it."

"Yeah, but I still feel bad. Those painkillers helpin' you at all?"

2D nodded, "A little."

Russel sighed, "I'll find a way to make it up to ya D, I promise."

Russel pulled into his driveway and exited his vehicle to find the garage door closed, music blasting from the inside, "Isn't 'at Murdoc's song, 5/4?"

"Yeah, I think it is."

"Then who's 'at playin' the guitar? D' ya fink Paula came back?"

"Judgin' by the lack of screamin' and arguin' goin' on, no I do not." the drummer answered as he opened the garage door, revealing Murdoc and Noodle blasting out music loud enough to piss off at least several neighbors.

Once the two had sung the final line of the song in harmony and wrapped up their small performance, Murdoc turned to Noodle and spoke, "That was BLOODY FUCKIN' AMAZING! How the hell'd you manage to nail it in one take?"

The girl shrugged in response, "I don't know, it just comes to me naturally I guess, like it's something I'm meant to do."

The bassist nodded approvingly at her answer, "I'd say so! You'll make an incredible guitarist for The Gorillaz!"

"A guitarist for the who?" Russel questioned, finally gaining the attention of the two musicians.

Murdoc turned to the larger teenager with a grin, "No Russ, The Who ain't gonna have shit on Gorillaz, especially not with your lovely sister here on lead guitar."

"Hear that Russel? Murdoc said I can be in the band!" Noodle announced with a smile

The drummer rubbed his head in frustration, "So let me get this straight, in the time that we were gone you recruited my sister into the band, decided she's the new lead guitarist, named us the Gorillaz, and… DID YOU MARK UP MY DRUMS WITH SPRAY PAINT?!"

"Didn't even spell it right," 2D pointed out, "There's two Rs in Gorillas."

Russel took a deep breath and shook his head, "D… go home and rest your eye."

"A'right." the singer obliged and left

"Noodle, go inside."

"Hai." she complied, "I had a lot of fun Murdoc, see you next band practice."

"Can't wait." the bassist said with a grin shared between the two of them

Russel didn't speak again until he was sure the girl was out of earshot, "Murdoc…" he paused for a long moment, searching his brain for the perfect words to convey his emotions toward the other teenager at the moment, he settled for just three, "Run away, fast."

 **A/N: Damn, it's been a while since I've done one of these, but I just had this idea in my head trying to claw its way out, so here it is. So, dear readers, what do you think? Do you like it? Do ya hate it? Do you wanna see more of this? Do you wish you could erase what you've read so far from your brain entirely? No matter what your opinion may be, I wanna hear it, so be sure to leave a review.**


	2. Can't Be In the Band

Murdoc took one look at the "Meal" that had been laid before him and immediately remembered one of the reasons he didn't come to school that much, "This shit can't be edible." he stated in disgust.

The lunch lady shrugged, "Probably not. Eat it or don't, I don't really give a rat's arse."

Murdoc walked away, tossing his tray near the trash bin as he tracked down an empty table. Finding one, he sat down and pulled out a small notebook and pen from his jacket pocket, not for any actual schoolwork mind you, no, this was his songwriting book. He wracked his brain, trying to think of some good lyrics, softly singing them as they came, " _Get the cool, get the cool_ … Shoeshine?" the musician scratched his head and shrugged, "Eh, that works for now, 'least 'til I think of somethin' better."

"Talking to yourself, Pickle Boy?" a voice said, irritating him to no end, "I always knew you'd lose your mind eventually." Paula said with a smirk

"'Least I've got a mind to lose in the first place." Murdoc retorted

The girl laughed "Really, you're calling me stupid?"

"Not at all," he assured, "I was actually referring to your boyfriend, who seems to be fighting a losing battle with that trash bin over there." the bassist said with a grin

Paula turned to see 2D jammed headfirst into a garbage can, "Dammit Stuart, not again!"

Murdoc laughed as she rushed off, turning his attention back to his lyrics, "Muds, we need to talk." the deep distinctive voice of Russel said

Murdoc, annoyed at being interrupted again, turned to face the drummer with a groan, "What do you want lard arse?"

Not even phased by the insult, Russel sat down across from the other teenager, "It's about Noodle." he stated

The bassist grinned, "Oh, you mean the incredible new lead guitarist for the Gorillaz, that Noodle?"

"First off, we never agreed on that name."

"It's either Gorillaz or Murdoc's Burning Sensations."

"I keep tellin' you, nobody wants to listen to a band named after a gonorrhea joke!" Russel insisted

"Then it would seem we've come to an agreement, Gorillaz it is." Murdoc stated with a smirk, "Now, what about Noodle?"

"She can't be in the band." he stated firmly

Murdoc looked at the larger boy quizzically, "Really? And why's that?"

"Because I said so."

Murdoc laughed, "Come on Russ, tell me the truth, why are you so against your sister playin' good music and havin' a great time?"

"I'm not! She loves playin' music and I'd never try and take that away from her. I just don't want her doin' it around you." Russel explained

"What the bloody hell's that s'posed to mean?!" Murdoc demanded

"It means you're a bad influence, and I don't want you rubbin' off on Noodle."

The bassist gave an insulted look, "A bad influence? Moi? That's absurd!"

"Murdoc, you're smokin' a damn cigarette right now." the drummer pointed out

"I am no-" Murdoc looked at his left hand to find a half-smoked cigarette he didn't even remember lighting, "Huh, so I am." he noted before taking a long drag and snuffing out the remainder of it on the cafeteria's floor with his boot.

"See what I mean?! I don't want her hangin' around you!" Russel stated with finality.

The bassist smirked, "Well, it seems to me that's not your decision to make, now is it," Murdoc pointed out, "It's my band, so only I could kick her out, which I am certainly not going to do. And Noodle's her own individual, you can't control what she does or who she hangs out with."

Russel scoffed, "How long you been rehearsin' that little speech?" he asked

"None of your sodding business!" Murdoc exclaimed, in truth he'd been working on it since he got home from band practice yesterday, but Russel didn't need to know that

It was at this point that 2D and Paula approached the table, already engrossed in their own argument "I don' see what the big deal is, I got m' apple back." 2D reasoned as he took a bite

Paula smacked the fruit from his hand, "STOP EATING FOOD OUT OF THE GARBAGE!"

He sighed at the loss of his apple, "Yes love." he said as he took a seat, "So, what' we talkin' 'bout?"

Murdoc crossed his arms, "Russ here wants to kick poor Noodle outta the band."

"Aw what? Why would you wanna do somefing like 'at Russ?" the singer questioned

"Take a wild guess." Russel said with a gesture to Murdoc

2D thought for a long moment, "Hmm… Somefing to do with Muds…" he racked his brain trying to think of the answer

"Just tell him before he hurts himself." Paula requested

Murdoc rolled his eyes "He's afraid I'm gonna be some kinda bad influence on her. Crazy, right?!"

The table was quiet for a moment, "I believe it." Paula stated

"Yeah, me too." 2D agreed

"Oh come on! I'm not that bad!" the bassist exclaimed

"PUT OUT THAT CIGARETTE MR. NICCALS!" a passing teacher commanded

Murdoc looked at his hand where a freshly lit fag laid comfortably between his fingers, "Goddammit! How the hell's that keep happenin'?!"

Paula rolled her eyes "Murdoc, you're a sexual degenerate, a teenage alcoholic, and an unhinged psychopath, Russel's got every right to worry about his little sister. Besides, we already have a guitarist."

"Yes, but I'd prefer one who can ACTUALLY PLAY!"

"EXCUSE ME?!"

"I'm with Muds on 'is one." 2D stated

"WHAT?!"

"No no no, not about you love, you're great at guitar." the singer clarified, "I mean about keepin' Noodle in the band."

Murdoc grinned "Well alright then, maybe you're not such a dullard after all."

"I mean, we all know Muds is a terrible person,"

The bassist's grin left his face, "You wanna go back in 'at trash bin dent-face?"

"But!" the singer continued, "Noodle's smart, she wouldn't let Murdoc ruin 'er. I fink you should trust 'er Russ."

"I DO TRUST HER! IT'S THIS ASSHOLE I CAN'T TRUST!" Russel insisted, gesturing toward Murdoc

"Alright, I think I've been insulted _just_ about enough for one day. I'm goin' home, if any of you lot need me then kindly fuck off.", the bassist gathered his things and stood up, lighting another cigarette as he did

"MR. NICCALS, I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU-"

"AH BLOW IT OUT YOUR ARSE YA DRIED UP OLD NONCE!" Murdoc shouted at the teacher with a flip of his middle finger, and with that, he walked right out of the school.

 **Oh wowee, a scene transition**

Noodle sat cross-legged on her bed with a guitar on her lap and a notebook by her side, writing down whatever lyrics popped into her head and playing whatever melodies she could pair them with. She was so immersed in her work that she barely even noticed the knock at her door, "Ohairikudasai." she invited in her native language, not really paying attention.

Russel opened the door and peeked his head in, "Hey Noods, you got a minute?" he asked

"Hai." she affirmed, barely looking up from her notebook

The large teenager thought for a moment about the best way to express his concerns before deciding to just be direct, "Noodle, you can't be in the band."

For the first time in hours, Noodle's attention was on something other than her music, "What? Why not?" she questioned

"Look, I just think it'd be for the best if you didn't hang around with us." he explained, choosing to leave out the 'us meaning Murdoc' from the end of his statement

Noodle sat perfectly still, not saying a word. After a moment she nodded, "Okay Russel." she said. Putting her guitar down, she stood up and walked past him, out of the room.

"Huh, that was easier than I expected." the drummer said to himself, "Maybe she understands where I'm coming fr-"

" **HE SAID WHAT?!** " Russel heard a loud booming voice shout, making his eyes go wide in fear

"Uh oh."

A tall heavyset woman walked into the room waving a wooden spoon in the air, "RUSSEL I KNOW YOUR SISTER DIDN'T JUST TELL ME YOU KICKED HER OUT OF YOUR LITTLE BAND!"

"Mama, you don't understand-"

"OH NO, DON'T YOU GO GIVING ME NO LIP! WHAT, YOU THINK BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA BE A BIG ROCK AND ROLL STAR THAT MEANS YOU'RE _TOO COOL_ FOR YOUR FAMILY?!"

"No, mama, I-"

"YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH BEFORE I SMACK IT OFF, BOY! NOW YOU GO IN THERE, APOLOGIZE TO YOUR LITTLE SISTER, AND BEG HER TO STAY IN YOUR LITTLE BAND! UNDERSTAND?!"

Russel nodded "Yes mama.", he agreed, walking out of the room. He knew he didn't have a choice, no matter how big, how strong, or how tough you are, there ain't no arguing with Mama Hobbs.

 **Oh wowee, a scene transition**

After assuring her spot in the band, Noodle spent a little longer playing guitar and writing down any song ideas that came to mind, only stopping to take a break at 6:00 PM to have dinner.

"I'm going out for a walk." she informed her mother as she left the kitchen.

"Alright, wear a jacket and be back by eight." the older woman instructed

"I will." Noodle assured, putting on her jacket and walking out the door.

Meanwhile on the other side of the neighborhood, an irate Murdoc Niccals walked with his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket, his roommate Johnny wanted the house to himself for the night so he could have some girl over, leaving Murdoc broke, pissed, and wandering the streets of Essex until at least midnight, "Bastard's lucky I've got nowhere else to stay." the bassist grumbled to himself

"Murdoc?" a feminine voice asked

"Oh who the hell-" he irritably turned to see who was bothering him now, only to find that it was by far the least objectionable person he could ever hope to see, waving with a smile as she ran up to him, the bassist couldn't help but smile in return, "Well, if it isn't the greatest guitarist in the world."

Noodle giggled at the compliment, "Oh come on, I'm not the greatest, not by a long shot."

"Lies and blasphemy." Murdoc joked, "And even if ya ain't the best now you will be. I guarantee it." he stated with utmost confidence

"You sound just like my mother, oh god." the girl said with a laugh

The bassist smirked, "Please, call me Murdoc." he joked, bringing the girl to laugh again, "Anyway, what are you doin' out so late, you're liable to run into some real dirtbags at this hour."

"It's only seven." Noodle pointed out, "Besides, the only one I've run into so far is you."

"I rest my case." he said with a grin

"What about you Murdoc, what are you doing out?" the guitarist inquired

Murdoc shrugged "What can I say, I live for the nightlife. At least when my flatmate wants the place to himself." he explained, "Wouldn't be so bad, but I've got nothin' to do for the next five hours."

The girl nodded in understanding, "Well, I have to be home by eight, but I can help keep you company until then." she offered

Murdoc gave another grin, "You sure you can stand bein' around me for an hour?" he joked

Noodle smiled, "Of course, we are bandmates after all and it will be a great chance for us to get to know each other.", an idea that Murdoc absolutely loved the sound of.

"Alright, if you insist, let's spend some time together." he stated with a grin, "Come on, I know a place."

 **Oh wowee, a scene transition**

Noodle didn't know what to expect from the "place" Murdoc was referring to, but she certainly hadn't expected him to bring her to a bridge downtown, "Well, here it is!" the bassist announced.

"Your special place is a bridge?"

"Sort of." he answered vaguely as he thoughtlessly slid down the hill beside it, "It's what's under the bridge that makes it special."

Noodle followed him down, albeit far more elegantly, to find that the area was a bit more populated than she'd assumed, the place was adorned with rugged makeshift tents inhabited by equally rugged people, warmed and illuminated by the orange light of flaming trash cans, "What is this place?" she questioned the boy next to her

Murdoc considered the inquiry for a moment before finally answering, "Home." he said simply, "Come on, I'll show ya around."

The bassist proved to be rather popular among the shabby group of down-on-their-luck individuals, eliciting more than a few greetings as they made their way through the place, Murdoc introducing Noodle to everyone he knew, "Such a nice girl, what the hell's she doing with you Muds?" and "Blink twice if he's holding you against your will." were among the more popular reactions to the pair.

"You have some very… interesting friends Murdoc." Noodle stated with a smile

"Yeah, colorful group of blokes, ain't they?" the bassist said as he led the girl through the locale, searching for someone in particular, "Just wait 'til you meet Ol' Nick, he's the best."

It wasn't too hard to find the gentleman in question, he sat on a crate playing a blood-red bass guitar, dressed rather elegantly in comparison to everyone around him with his jet-black black suit and fedora, and if that wasn't enough, his whole look was pulled together by a raven perched on his shoulder.

The raven let out a loud **CAW** when it saw Murdoc approach, flying off its owner's shoulder and onto the young man's outstretched arm, "'Ello Cortez. Miss me?" he greeted the bird, gently petting its feathers as he did.

Noodle watched the scene play out with intrigue, she hadn't expected Murdoc, with his bold and abrasive in-your-face sensibilities, to be any good with animals, yet here he was, expertly handling a raven as though he'd been doing it his whole life. The girl probably would've continued admiring just how majestic the bassist looked with the dark bird on his arm had she not been brought back to reality by the smooth voice of the raven's owner, "So Murdoc, aren't you going to introduce me to your little girlfriend?"

Murdoc cleared his throat, "She uh… she ain't my girlfriend Nick." he corrected to Noodle's amusement

"Just friends." the girl added

The older man chuckled, "What a shame, she seems like a lovely girl, not like the skags you usually slum around with." he said as he lit up a cigarette. Strangely enough, Noodle could swear she didn't see a lighter. "Anyway, it's very nice to meet you, Miss..."

"Hobbs," she answered "Noodle Hobbs. And your name is Nick?"

The man nodded, "One of them." he answered as he took a long drag of his cigarette, "So Murdoc, you've been practicing I hope."

"Every day." the boy answered

Nick smiled, "Alright, let's have a listen then." he said as he handed the bass to the young musician.

Murdoc took the bass into his own hands, prompting Cortez to fly off his arm. Strapping the instrument around his neck, the young man warmed up with a few random notes and scales before really getting into it, playing whatever came to mind, old rock, new rock, songs he'd written, songs he hadn't written yet, it was like a smooth uninterrupted flow of music straight from his mind to the instrument, and Noodle couldn't bring herself to look away, "Shinjirarenai." she said in her native language

"Anata wa mada nani mo mita koto ga arimasen." the older man stated, not taking his eyes off the bassist.

Murdoc had always felt a deep connection with this particular bass, the tone, the feel, everything about it, it felt natural in his hands, like it was made specifically to be played by him, that crappy stolen one he usually plays couldn't possibly compare to the feeling he got when playing El Diablo. "Absolutely flawless." he said under his breath as he finished one particular solo.

"You're getting better Murdoc." Nick pointed out

The young bassist nodded, "Yeah, well, I had a pretty good teacher." he stated, hesitantly handing the instrument over to the man. "You know, one of these days I'm gonna buy that thing off'a you, once I've got some cash coming in."

The older man shook his head, "I've got no use for your money."

"Oh come on," Murdoc bartered, "You've gotta have some price for it!"

"Of course, everything has its price. We'll make a deal eventually, don't worry." he assured

"I'm gonna hold ya to that Nick."

 **Oh wowee, a scene transition**

After their encounter with Nick, Murdoc and Noodle found a vacant spot and got to talking, mostly about music, a bit about life, the subject didn't really matter, the two seemed absolutely enthralled with each other no matter what they talked about. "Oh! I started writing a new song today!" Noodle stated enthusiastically, pulling her notebook out of her jacket, opening it to show the other teenager.

The bassist looked at the page, "Wow, you've got all the notes written down and everything?"

"Of course! Don't you write down your music?"

"Eh, sorta, I jot down lyrics if they come to mind, but usually I just record everything I do with this." he said as he pulled out a tape recorder, "Here's somethin' I started writin' this mornin'." he stated, rewinding it and pressing play. Noodle listened intently to the recording, not expecting Murdoc to break in with a few poorly thought out lyrics " _Get the cool, get the cool shoeshine_." he sang softly, " _De doo de bump, de du de bump_. Haven't put much thought into it yet." he admitted

The girl nodded, " _Get the cooool, get the cool shoeshine._ " she repeated

Murdoc laughed lightly "Wow, it actually sounds decent when you sing it."

Noodle laughed in return, "All music can be beautiful Murdoc, it just takes a bit of thought and care." she said with a wholesome smile.

"How long you been rehearsin' that little line?" the bassist asked with a smirk.

The guitarist smiled at him, "You don't need to rehearse when you speak from the heart."

Murdoc nodded, "Uh huh, bullshit, you've got a book of poetry memorized just so you can sound all enlightened during conversation, don't you." he joked

The girl laughed yet again, there was just something about the bassist that brought a smile to her face, sure he could be a bit... extremely crude, but when she hung out with him she couldn't help but have a good time… Time? "Wait, what time is it?!" she asked urgently

Murdoc looked at his watch, only to realize he wasn't wearing one, "Shit, knew I shoulda never sold that damned thing." he cursed, "Ey Nick, you got the time?" he shouted to the nearby man

"Midnight." he answered, "The witching hour."

"OH CRAP!" Noodle shouted as she jumped to a standing position, "I was supposed to be home four hours ago!"

Murdoc shuffled to his feet as well, "Damn, we'd better get goin' then!"

 **Oh wowee, a scene transition**

The pair had rushed back to the neighborhood as fast as they could, finding their way to Noodle's front yard, Murdoc visibly out of breath on their arrival, "Bloody 'ell, where'd you learn to run so damned fast?" he asked between sharp intakes of air.

"I don't know." the girl answered bluntly, "Oh, my mother must be worried sick." she lamented

"Eh, you want me to come with you, maybe explain-" Murdoc was cut off mid-sentence by an oversized hand grabbing him by the shirt

"You'd better start explainin', dirtbag." the familiar deep voice of Russel demanded, pissed beyond comprehension

The drummer stared down Murdoc, his empty eyes overcome with a fury that could be compared with that of a crazed bull.

"Ah shit." Murdoc cursed, his life flashing before his eyes.

 **A/N: Oh look, only a month later and I've finally finished chapter 2. Eh, I guess I've done worse in terms of update time, especially with all my other creative projects going on right now.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this new chapter, let me know if you did/didn't with a review and tell me what you think of the story so far, I do so love reader feedback, good or bad! And if you want to see more then be sure to follow the story so you'll be notified every time a new chapter goes up.**

 **Until next time, later.**


	3. Broken

Murdoc stumbled into his house, blood flowing from his freshly busted nose down his shirt, "Animal, absolute fucking animal!" he grumbled to himself as he made his way to the kitchen. Once there, the bassist checked the freezer for anything cold he could soothe his wounds with, "Ice, ice, WHERE'S THE FUCKIN' ICE?!"

"Muds?" another voice said from within the kitchen, only to be greeted by an ice tray straight to the face.

"Amazing thing about those trays Johnny, you can actually REFILL THEM AFTER THEY'RE FUCKING EMPTY!"

"FUCKING CHRIST MURDOC! WHAT THE HELL'S YOUR PROBLEM?!" the other man demanded as he switched on the light. The bassist turned to face his roommate, his black eye, busted nose, and bruised jaw all on full display for the other youth to see, "Holy shit! What the fuck happened to you?!"

"I'll give ya three guesses." Murdoc said as he tried to clean off some of his blood with a wet dish towel.

"Well, my first guess would be that you shagged somebody's girlfriend."

"Nope."

"Okay… Sister?"

"Getting warmer."

"Alright, well you went on about that one girl the other day for about two hours, the Hobbes girl, so my final guess is that ya shagged her and Russel beat the shit outta ya for it."

Murdoc shook his head, "My friend, you are so close yet sooo far. Yeah, it was about Noodle, Russel kicked my arse for stayin' out late with her. But here's the real kicker, I didn't even lay a finger in her."

"You mean on her?" Johnny corrected

"I know what I said." the bassist affirmed as he rinsed his towel in more cold water, holding it up to his battered face. "Can ya believe it? The ONE TIME in my damned life I'm actually innocent, and I get the worst beating I've had since I moved outta my dad's." Murdoc finally got a good look at his face in the reflection of the window, "Ew, scratch that, Hannibal and the old man ain't got shit on this."

"Shit, you wanna go see a doctor?" Johnny offered

Murdoc shuddered at the thought, "Hell no, can't stand doctors. Just need a bottle of booze and a good nights rest."

"What if you've got a concussion?" the older of the two asked

The bassist shrugged, "I'm pretty sure I once heard that that can't actually kill ya. Hand me the vodka."

Johnny shook his head, "Nah, I've got a better idea."

"What? Rum? Tequila?"

Moments later, Murdoc was being carried out of the house kicking and screaming on his roommate's shoulder. Like it or not, he was going to the hospital.

 **Oh wowee, a scene transition**

Noodle sat on her bed, her head hung in shame as she was scolded, "I told you two things before you left, TWO! What were they?" Mama-Hobbes asked

"Wear a jacket and be home by eight." Noodle answered

"WEAR A JACKET AND BE HOME BY EIGHT!" the older woman repeated, "And which one of those two things did you do?" she asked

"I wore a jacket." the girl answered

"Yes you did, and I can't fault you for that. But when I say be home by eight I mean BE HOME BY EIGHT! Not eight-thirty, not eight-o-five, EIGHT-O-CLOCK! It is now twelve-fifteen in the AM, now that's a little later than eight-o-clock now isn't it?"

"Yes mama."

"How long after eight?"

"Four hours."

"FOUR HOURS AFTER EIGHT!" Mama-Hobbes reiterated, "Now, here's what I wanna know, what in God's green world were you and that little boyfriend of yours doing for four hours!?"

"He's not my-"

"That line didn't work on my mama when I used it on her and it damn sure ain't workin' on me. Now spill it."

Noodle sighed, "We were just… talking."

"Mmhm. Bullshit." the woman cursed

"It's true!"

"You expect me to believe that you spent four straight hours with this boy and the only thing that went on was a good conversation?"

"That's all that happened, I promise."

"Alright." the woman relented, "Now what were you two talking about that was so interesting it made you forget about your curfew?"

"Well… We sort of talked about everything." Noodle explained

 **Oh wowee, a scene transition.**

"What do you mean 'everything'?" Johnny asked a now bandaged Murdoc as they waited for the doctor to return.

Murdoc shrugged, "Music, movies, life experiences, pretty much anything that came to mind… Everything." he answered, adjusting the ice pack he held to his face.

"For four hours?" Johnny asked in disbelief

The bassist laughed "It honestly didn't feel like four hours. It was like… time was just passing without us, I can't explain it."

"That's oddly poetic comin' from the likes of you. Maybe that beating knocked a bit of sense into ya." the older boy joked, earning himself a flip of Murdoc's middle finger.

It was at this point the door opened and the doctor walked in, "Well Mr. Niccals, you don't have a concussion and the bruising on your jaw should clear up by the end of the week."

"Thank God." the bassist praised

"But your nose is broken in eight places, it'll heal in a few weeks but it will be slightly misshapen for the rest of your life."

Murdoc growled, "Changed my mind, screw you, God!"

Johnny laughed, "Aw come on Muds, God didn't break your nose, Russel did!"

The doctor nodded, "Uh huh, now I assume Russel was the brother?" he asked

Muds looked at the doctor in confusion, "How the bloody hell'd ya know that?"

"I've seen this before." he stated, "So... Was she worth it?" the doctor asked with a grin

"Was she worth- I'VE GOT A BUSTED NOSE AND I'M GONNA BE FUCKIN' DEFORMED, WHAT THE HELL KINDA QUESTION IS THAT?!"

The doctor nodded, "So… That's a no?"

"FUCK OFF!" Murdoc shouted as he stood from his chair, exiting the room, and smacking a few jars of medical supplies off the adjacent table in anger, "AND I'M KEEPIN' THE DAMNED ICE PACK!"

Johnny followed the bassist to the parking lot, "Hey, wait up!" he shouted

Murdoc was grumbling in anger as his roommate caught up with him, "Who's that wanker think he is, askin' me something like that?!"

Johnny nodded, "Yeah, what a dick." he agreed, "But… Was she?"

"Was who what?"

"Was Noodle worth it?"

"What the hell are you on about? I didn't even touch her!" the musician pointed out

"No, but you did get your ass beat over her. Would you say that you regret the evening leading up to that?"

Murdoc stopped walking, seemingly in deep thought, "Unlock the car, dumbass."

"Not until you answer me."

"I can bust open this window and hotwire the thing in two minutes, you know that right?"

"It's a simple yes or-"

 **CRASH**

"GODDAMMIT MUDS!" Johnny screamed as Murdoc unlocked the vehicle through the now shattered window and got in.

"You coming?" the bassist asked as he began to pop off the piece of covering under the steering wheel, exposing the wires underneath.

"STOP STOP STOP! Fine, you win!"

"Goddamn right I do." Murdoc stated with a grin

Against his better judgment, Johnny decided to keep pressing the subject as he pulled out of the parking lot, "I just don't see why you can't answer the question."

Murdoc sat in silence for a moment pondering his next words, "Tell anyone about this and I'll kill ya."

"Deal." Johnny agreed

The bassist sighed, "I wouldn't have traded my time with her for all the fame, women, and cash in the world." he admitted

"Oh." Johnny said, his eyes wide in surprise, he had certainly not expected that answer.

"Oh? OH?!" Murdoc shouted in anger, "I POUR MY FUCKIN' HEART OUT TO YOU AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SAY?! OH?!"

"No no no, don't take it that way!"

"THEN HOW THE BLOODY HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO TAKE IT!?"

"Look, I'm just surprised is all!"

"Surprised about what?!"

"I just never expected Murdoc Niccals to fall in love."

"LOVE?!" the bassist screamed, "Love?" he questioned again, more quietly this time, "Love." he said once more, almost silently.

 **Oh wowee, a scene transition.**

"What do you mean love?" Noodle asked

Her mother nodded, "Yep, the way you're talking about this boy, you're in love, child."

A loud **THUMP** could be heard from outside the room, followed by a deep voice shouting "WHAT?!"

"RUSSEL, I KNOW YOU'RE NOT LISTENING IN ON OUR PRIVATE CONVERSATION!" Mama-Hobbes shouted

"Uhh, no mama." the large boy answered

"OH HELL NO, NOW I KNOW YOU DIDN'T JUST LIE TO YOUR MAMA!"

"Uhhh..." the sound of heavy footsteps running away could be heard throughout the house

Mama-Hobbes rolled her eyes, "Anyway… as for your punishment for staying out late…" the woman thought for a moment before coming to a decision, "I think I'll let you off the hook this time."

Noodle hung her head in shame, "Yes ma- wait, what?"

"No punishment this time. But this had better not happen again." she explained

"O-of course not! Thank you!" the girl said in delight

Mama-Hobbes smiled as she walked toward the door, "Alright sweetie. Now, I need you to do me a favor."

"Yes, of course, anything!" Noodle preemptively agreed

"Next time you see your boyfriend, ask him if he's got any allergies." the woman instructed

"Alright I'll-… Wait, why?" the girl asked in confusion

"I need to know if there's any ingredients I need to avoid when you have him over for dinner."'

"Over for… huh?"

"WHAT?!" Russel shouted from outside the door

"RUSSEL, I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU-"

"I'm sorry mama!"

"DAMN RIGHT YOU ARE!" she shouted before turning back to Noodle, "I need to meet this boy, see if he's right for my little girl."

"I uh…"

"No uhs, he's coming for dinner, end of discussion." the woman stated before turning to face the door, "Got that Russel?"

"Yes mama." the drummer answered.

"I'll let you two figure out the day when you talk to him. Now get some rest sweetie."

The young guitarist nodded, "Yes mama."

 **Oh wowee, a scene transition.**

Murdoc woke the next morning, sore, pissed, and still tired, he was starting to regret leaving the hospital before getting any kind of pain medicine. Lucky for him, he still had a quarter-bottle of vodka left from last night, "'Ello old friend." he greeted with a smile as he bit the cap off and started drinking. Suddenly, the doorbell rang, 'Probably one of Johnny's skags.' he mentally reasoned.

The bell rang again, "Ey Muds, can ya get the door?" Johnny requested from the other room.

"Screw you, the doctor said I need rest!" the bassist proclaimed

"The doctor did not say that ya sodding liar, now answer the damned door, I'm tryin' to take a fuckin' shower!"

The bell rang once more, "FINE! Arsehole." Murdoc shouted as he got up from his couch/bed and made his way to the door, angrily swinging it open, "WHAT THE BLOODY 'ELL DO YOU-" he ceased his tirade once he saw exactly whose face he was screaming into, "Want… Hi Noodle.". The girl stood in a shocked silence as she looked back at the boy, "Sorry, I didn't know it was you… Sorry."

Little did the bassist know that she was actually completely unfazed by his yelling, her shock came from something else, she gently placed her hands on his face in concern, Murdoc flinched slightly at the sensation, "I can't believe Russel did this to you." she stated in dismay

Murdoc chuckled, "Eh, it ain't as bad as it looks… or feels." he assured

"I'm so sorry." Noodle apologized, hugging the boy as she did.

"Come on now, it ain't your fault, it's your lard arse brother's." he assured with a grin as he hugged her back

The girl shook her head, "He wouldn't have hurt you hadn't been with me." she pointed out

Murdoc shook his head in return, "Hey, I can think of worse reasons to get my arse kicked. Why don't you come inside, it's freezing out here." he invited

The girl was hesitant, "I wouldn't want to impose."

The bassist waved off the notion, "Nonsense, I insist!" he exclaimed as he led her inside, "Would you like anything? Coffee maybe?"

Noodle considered the offer "Do you have any tea?"

"Tea?", Murdoc thought for a moment before shouting across the house, "Johnny, we got any tea?"

"Ya got drunk and smoked it all, remember?" his roommate shouted from the other room

The musician thought about it, "Hm… Sounds like something I might do. How 'bout a glass of hot water?" he offered

Noodle laughed at the idea, "That's alright, thank you anyway."

Murdoc smiled, "So, is this a social visit or is there a specific reason you're here?" he asked

"Yes, actually." she answered, remembering why she came over in the first place, "My mother wants to have you over for dinner."

The bassist was trepidatious, "Not sure I'm comfortable eating with Russ." he admitted.

"I'll make sure he's on his best behavior." the girl assured

Murdoc considered it, "Alright, you keep the fat bastard under control and I'll be happy to come." he agreed

"Great, how's Saturday at six sound?"

"I can do Saturday."

"Perfect, arigato Murdoc."

'Ari… huh?' the bassist thought, "Uhh, Mr. Roboto, Noodle." he responded, 'Nailed it.'

Noodle laughed, "See you next band practice!" she said with a smile

"Yeah, see ya around." he said with a wave as he watched her leave. The door closed and the boy was alone.

"Mr. Roboto?" he heard his roommate ask from behind him

Murdoc turned to face Johnny, "That's the next lyric in the song ain't it?!"

Johnny rolled his eyes, "Arigato means thank you, Muds. She appreciates you agreeing to join her family for dinner." he explained

"Oh… Well how was I supposed to know that?!"

"Barring your complete lack of cultural knowledge beyond music lyrics, I've gotta say, I'm impressed."

"By what?" the younger of the two asked

"Well, you're not even dating yet and you're already meeting her parents." Johnny pointed out

"Parent." Murdoc corrected, he then considered his roommate's point, "Shit, you're right. I've gotta make a good impression, don't I?"

"Murdoc Niccals making a good impression… I don't even need to make a joke about that one, it's funny enough as is." the older boy joked with a laugh.

 **Oh wowee, a scene transition.**

Russel and his mother were sitting quietly at the kitchen table when they heard the front door open, "RUSSEL!" they heard Noodle scream in anger

"Oh boy, sounds like you really screwed up this time, Russ." Mama-Hobbes said with a laugh.


End file.
